Bedtime Stories: An Important Part of our Routine

I remember when Red was in an “inside baby.” Chase and I agreed that we wanted to read Red a bedtime story every night of his life. Of course, when we were feeding him every three hours as an infant it proved a little difficult and pointless, but as Red got older, we stuck with it. When he was 18 months old and would rather chew on his crib than listen to anything that was coming out of our mouths, it was frustrating.Child! Look at these pictures, I’m doing all the voices! But I kept at it. It really wasn’t until he was 2 that Red showed interest in reading bedtime stories, and now that he’s 3.5 years old, he’s stuck on it. Cries and wails come out when our one or two books are finished and he’s “banished” to his big boy bed. Red is always asking for “one more book” and to “read more, Mama!” It’s hard to cut him off and send him to bed, even when I’m bushed and need to head to bed myself. Reading a bedtime story is just a special time for us.

Since books are such an important part of our bedtime routine, I was really excited when I heard my friend, Kelly Silverman had finished and published her first children’s book, Man in the Moon. It’s a lovely little bedtime story that rhymes, lilts and paints a very special picture of a little girl making friends with the Man in the Moon each night before she drifts off to sleep.

The dreamy watercolored pictures are illustrated by Erin the Great and the ombre scumbles are really reminiscent of sunsets and dreamy settings. The rhyming stanzas keep Red’s ears entertained as we learn to read words and sound out phrases.

Chase and I really love taking turns reading to Red, and while the second little bun is still in the oven, we’re both present for bedtime routine and tucking in. I know that won’t last, as duties will double and shift work takes over. For now, I’m really enjoying this sweet bedtime story crafted by a friend, and loving watching Red fall in love with it, too.